The present invention relates to refrigerators. Refrigerators store food as their primary function. Yet, this is not the only role that refrigerators play in many installations. People often use refrigerators in other ways. For example, notes are sometimes stuck on the refrigerator using magnets or otherwise. Although a convenient location to place notes or reminders for one another, this can result in a cluttered appearance created by paper notes adhered to the refrigerator or stuck to the refrigerator by magnets.
Refrigerators also sometimes provide functions related to their own maintenance. For example, refrigerators sometimes include visual indicators to alert consumers as to when the water filter should be changed. The visual indicators are often lights. For example a green light can indicate that the filter is not yet due for a change, a yellow light can indicate that the filter should be changed soon, and a red light indicates that the filter should be changed.
Thus, refrigerators can have various functions in addition to storing food, yet problems remain. What is needed is a refrigerator that can provide for additional functions through use of a consistent user interface.
Therefore, it is a primary object of the present invention to improve upon the state of the art.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a refrigerator that provides a consistent user interface.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a refrigerator capable of providing information regarding refrigerator maintenance including information regarding the replacement of air and/or water filters.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a refrigerator that determines when the air or water filter should be replaced.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a refrigerator that is capable of recording and playing back audio messages.
These and/or other objects, features, and/or advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following specification and claims.
The present invention provides for a refrigerator having a consistent user interface that can be used for multiple purposes. The user interface can be used to provide message recording and playback functions. The user interface can also be used to provide for the display of air filter and water filter replacement information. The air filter and/or water filter replacement information can include information such as the remaining capacity of the filter, an estimated replacement date for the filter, an estimated date by which the replacement filter should be ordered.
According to one aspect of the present invention, the refrigerator includes a cabinet for enclosing a refrigerating compartment, the cabinet having a door for providing access to the refrigerating compartment. The refrigerator also includes a user interface operatively connected to the cabinet having a display for displaying refrigerator function selections and a plurality of buttons for selecting refrigerator functions, and a control unit operatively connected to the user interface and adapted to control a plurality of refrigerator functions. The plurality of buttons in this interface can include a menu button to select one of the plurality of screens associated with the refrigerator functions as well as at least three buttons for selecting refrigerator functions associated with a menu screen displayed on the display. The refrigerator functions can include message recording functions, message playback functions, air filter replacement functions, water filter replacement functions, ice dispensement functions, water dispensement functions, clock functions, or other functions associated with the refrigerator.
According to another aspect of the present invention, a refrigerator includes a cabinet for enclosing a refrigerator compartment, a display operatively connected to the cabinet, a control unit electrically connected to the display adapted for determining refrigerator filter information and for displaying the refrigerator filter information on the display. The refrigerator filter information includes a date associated with the refrigerator filter. The date can be an estimated replacement date for the filter or the date can be an ordering date associated with the filter. The filter can be an air filter or a water filter.
Another aspect of the present invention relates to a method for providing user control of a refrigerator. The method includes providing a menu button on the refrigerator for selecting one of a plurality of refrigerator function screens, receiving a selection from a user of one of the plurality of refrigerator function screens, displaying the selected refrigerator function screen, the selected refrigerator function screen providing a plurality of refrigerator function selections, receiving a user selection of one of a plurality of refrigerator function selections, and performing the selected refrigerator function.
According to another aspect of the present invention, the present invention provides a method for providing refrigerator filter information. The method includes providing a refrigerator having a display, and displaying on the display a date associated with the refrigerator filter. The date can be an estimated replacement date for the filter or the date can be an ordering date associated with the filter. The filter can be an air filter or a water filter.